Experts discuss at the event, themed "Partnering for Sustainable Growth: Businesses – Localities – Nation". — Photo courtesy of VBCSD

HƯNG YÊN — Businesses, government agencies and local authorities must work together to accelerate green and digital transformation, foster innovation and develop high-quality human resources if Việt Nam is to achieve rapid yet sustainable economic growth, speakers said at a forum held in Hưng Yên Province on August 6.

The event, themed "Partnering for Sustainable Growth: Businesses – Localities – Nation", was jointly organised by the Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD) under the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and Nestlé Việt Nam.

The forum took place as Việt Nam enters a new development phase, targeting double-digit economic growth while strengthening competitiveness, innovation and sustainable development amid an increasingly uncertain global environment.

Addressing the event, VCCI Vice Chairman and VBCSD Chairman Nguyễn Quang Vinh said Politburo Resolution No 19 identifies science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, green transition, high-quality human resources and the business sector as the country's new growth drivers.

"Sustainable development is not only an objective but also the way businesses can work alongside the Government and local authorities to create new engines of growth, moving towards a resilient, innovative and globally integrated economy," Vinh said.

He added that VCCI and VBCSD would continue promoting policy dialogue, strengthening partnerships and sharing best practices to support businesses throughout their green transition and sustainable development journey.

Representing the business community, Binu Jacob, Chairman and CEO of Nestlé Việt Nam and Co-Chairman of VBCSD, said rapid growth and sustainable development should be pursued simultaneously rather than treated as separate goals.

"Achieving Việt Nam's growth ambitions requires collective action. The Government provides strategic direction, local authorities create a facilitating environment, businesses turn strategies into action, and the media help build public understanding and trust," he said.

Jacob cited the Nestlé Bông Sen Factory in Hưng Yên Province as an example of cooperation between the private sector and the government in developing a greener industrial ecosystem.

He described the plant as one of Nestlé's most advanced and digitally connected factories, built around the principle that people are at the centre of sustainable development. That philosophy, he said, is reflected in its technologies, production processes and workforce development.

From a policy perspective, Nguyễn Hoa Cương, Deputy Director of the Institute for Policy and Strategy Studies under the Party Central Committee's Policy and Strategy Commission, said the country's double-digit growth target must rest on innovation, digital transformation, green transition and high-quality human resources.

He stressed that businesses play a crucial role in translating the Party's and the Government's development strategies into practice by modernising production, improving competitiveness and adopting sustainable business models.

Partnership between businesses and localities

Speakers agreed that close cooperation between the Government, local authorities and businesses is essential to improving the investment climate and sustaining long-term economic growth.

Jacob praised Hưng Yên Province for its significant improvements in governance and investment attractiveness. Between 2020 and 2024, the province climbed from 53rd place to the country's top 10 in the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI), creating more favourable conditions for long-term business investment.

"At Nestlé Việt Nam, we do not simply invest in a locality - we grow together with it," he said, adding that the company's success is closely linked to the development of local communities.

According to Đỗ Đình Quang, Deputy Director of Hưng Yên's Department of Science and Technology, the province aims to attract high-quality investment projects by making science and technology, innovation and digital transformation key drivers of growth.

He said the province has introduced policies to support businesses in digital transformation, scientific research and technological innovation, while also implementing measures to attract highly skilled professionals in science and technology.

Sharing Nestlé's experience, Đậu Văn Hoàn, Director of the Nestlé Bông Sen Factory, said the company's "Connected Factory" model is built on three pillars: developing an agile and empowered workforce, mastering advanced technologies and accelerating automation.

Integrating digital transformation with green transition has enabled the factory to improve energy efficiency while increasing labour productivity, he said.

Hoàn identified four key lessons from the factory's experience: digital transformation is a foundation rather than the final goal; digitalisation supports the green transition; people - not technology - drive innovation; and sustainable value must extend beyond the factory to benefit local communities.

"Technology can be purchased, but only people with a digital mindset can create lasting value," he said.

The forum also highlighted the role of universities in developing talent for the innovation ecosystem.

Bùi Trung Thành, President of Hưng Yên University of Technology and Education, said higher education institutions are central to training the skilled workforce needed for digital and green transformation.

He noted that the university has worked closely with Nestlé Bông Sen to provide industry-oriented training and develop local human resources, demonstrating the value of collaboration among businesses, education institutions and local authorities.

As part of the programme, delegates and journalists visited the Nestlé Bông Sen Factory in Thăng Long II Industrial Park, where they observed digital manufacturing technologies, resource-efficiency initiatives, workforce development programmes and other sustainability practices implemented at the facility. —VNS